Liverpool eye Murillo along with two others to replace Virgil van Dijk
Liverpool Central defender Virgil van Dijk has started each of the team's games in the first division and champions league. It has become one of the most essential options at Arne Slot and with good reason. However, with the player turning 34 next summer and having less than a year left on his contract, the Reds must replace him with a long-term option.
According to TEAMtalkLiverpool have three players on their wish list and a new arrival is expected next summer. Nottingham Forest's Murillo is said to be the main name on Liverpool's radar, while the report adds that Sporting Lisbon centre-back Gonzalo Inácio and Sevilla youngster Loic Bade are also being looked at ahead of a move. possible raid in 2025.
TEAMtalk adds that all three players will cost in excess of £50m, with Murillo expected to be particularly expensive as Nottingham Forest would be seeking between £60m and £70m for his sale. That said, Bade could be available for a slightly cheaper price, as Sevilla's demands could be negotiable, although they do require payment of his £50m release clause.
Inácio is the most suitable to replace Van Dijk
Gonzalo Inácio could be another of Sporting Lisbon's key figures who will leave next season, possibly after Ruben Amorim and Viktor Gyokeres. The Portuguese defender's £50m release clause means there is little his employer can do to retain him if a club pays the amount and it seems a price Liverpool can comfortably afford to bear.
Inácio stands just over six feet tall and promises to be a good aerial option. He is also good at set pieces and has good passing range, all of which are some of Van Dijk's most distinctive qualities. He is only 23 years old and can prove that he is a player who will spend his money well in the long term.
If Liverpool are interested in signing a proven Premier League player like they did with Southampton's Van Dijk in 2018, Murillo wouldn't be a bad choice. He has led Nottingham's rise to seventh place in the Premier League this season, but could be a considerably expensive option should the team plan to rebuild other areas as well.
Meanwhile, extending Van Dijk's contract should also be on the agenda for the Reds, although considering he may have a year or two left at elite level, in which case the transition phase for his replacement will be an easier matter and will also provide Liverpool with enough time to wait for the correct signing in the transfer market.
